


Collateral Damage

by christina_blake



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Battle of Hogwarts Aftermath, Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Fred Weasley Dies, Ginny Weasley Needs a Hug, Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, OTP Feels, Post-Battle of Hogwarts, Post-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Post-War, Short & Sweet, Short One Shot, Soft Harry Potter, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:14:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28636104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/christina_blake/pseuds/christina_blake
Summary: Following the Battle of Hogwarts, Ginny Weasley struggles to grapple with her brother's death. There's only one person who is able to comfort her: Harry Potter
Relationships: Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley
Kudos: 10





	Collateral Damage

Ginny watched in silence as her brother’s body was covered with a white sheet. She looked at her family gathered around, everyone quietly sobbing. She couldn’t take it anymore. She had to get out of there. She started running towards the closest exit of the castle which was really just a hole in the wall. Collateral damage. She could hear her mother calling after her but she didn’t care. Ginny needed to be as far away from there as possible. She only stopped running once she reached the edge of Lake. She decided to sit by the big oak tree she used to go to with Harry while they were dating. Harry. Suddenly memories and emotions started filling her head. She could see the glee etched on you-know-who, no Voldemort’s face, as he announced that Harry Potter, the boy who lived, was dead. She could feel the heartbreak she felt in that very moment. No. Get ahold of yourself Ginny. Harry isn’t dead, she told herself. He’s fine. "But you know who’s not fine?", her subconscious taunted, "Fred". Ginny made a noise that sounded like a strangled cat as she struggled to calm herself. Deep breaths deep breaths think about happy things think about quidditch. She let her mind wander to thoughts of her soaring above the crowds throwing the quaffle through the hoop while everyone cheered. Quidditch was really the only time when she felt truly free. She was so deep in thought that she didn’t notice that Harry Potter himself was now sitting next to her. 

“Ginny?” 

She startled at the sound of his voice but quickly calmed down once she realized who it was. “Harry? What are you doing out here? Shouldn’t you still be in there” she gestured towards the castle “you are our hero after all”  
Harry ignored her questions. “Are you alright?” he asked.  
“I- I’m fi-ine” she sputtered. “I just had to get away from all of… that”  
“You sure about that?” he asked again.  
“Y-yes” then out of nowhere she started sobbing. Harry instinctively put his arm around her and pulled her close to him.  
“It’s okay you can talk to me” he said soothingly. Ginny couldn’t believe it. She was crying. Ginny Weasley was crying. She honestly couldn’t remember the last time she cried. She always prided herself with how tough she was, yet here she was now crying like a baby. “Ac-actually” she managed to get out through tears. “I’m not fine. My brother is dead, Harry, and for a moment there I thought you were too.” She buried her face into Harry’s shoulder as he continued to hold her. “It’s okay to cry, Gin. It’s going to be okay. We will get through this.” 

And she believed him.


End file.
